How To Save A Life
by CSIMel
Summary: Everything happens in threes. Not all stories can have a happy ending. Tate.


**How To Save A Life**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Rating:** PG – 13

**Warning:** Character death.

**Spoilers:** Twilight.

**Summary:** Everything happens in threes. Not all stories can have a happy ending. Tate.

**A/N:** Wrote this pretty quickly. It just came to me one night. Song is 'How To Save A Life' by The Fray. Hope you enjoy.

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* * *

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It happened so quickly.

After all, it was just an ordinary day, at an ordinary crime scene.

No terrorists hiding in the bushes. No bombs hidden in the ceiling.

Just an old abandoned house in the middle of the woods.

She checked the upstairs bedroom. _Clear_.

The upstairs bathroom. _Clear._

An upstairs storage room. _Clear._

Stepping further into the room, she grasped the wall for the light-switch.

The bulb was shot.

Grabbing the flashlight from her kit, she shined it on objects lying haphazardly around the room.

Birdcages, old trunks, sewing machines.

Dusty canvases lined the walls and moth-eaten sheets thrown over once beautiful oak furniture.

She failed to notice the hole in the floor.

"Tony!" She screamed, losing her balance, falling face-first towards the ground floor.

It wasn't how she imagined it; Tony saving her.

There was no graceful landing-in-his-arms 'fairytale' moment.

No dramatic music or dreamy looks.

Just Tony, throwing himself under her to cushion her fall.

She rolled off him, pain shooting up her ankle, winded from the fall.

"Tony," Kate gasped, "you – saved me."

He didn't respond. She realised he hurt himself from her landing.

"Tony?" She asked, worried. Kate reached over to touch his shoulder. He grabbed her hand, folding his own around it.

"Tony?" She whispered, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

"It's okay," he wheezed, "I'm used to women falling all over me."

Instead of hitting him, she just smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you."

They lay like that for several minutes, each lost in their own private thoughts and pain.

_He smiles politely back at you _

You stare politely right on through...

* * *

The second time he saved her was not out in the field. 

It wasn't terrorists or bombs.

It was at 0245 in the morning.

He arrived at her door, yelling to be let in, waking up nearly everyone on your floor.

She opened the door, confused. There were no open cases to attend to and it wasn't anyone's birthday.

It was obviously urgent; as he didn't pay the slightest bit of attention to her skimpy summer pyjamas.

He simply burst through the door, locking it, bolting it and pushing a heavy cabinet in front of it.

He dragged her roughly to her bedroom, ignoring her protests and, again, locking the door behind him.

"Don't worry, Kate," he reassured her, not looking the least bit calm himself, "I've called the police; they're on their way."

"What the hell, DiNozzo?" She yelled, standing and moving to the door, "I don't know what you're playing at –"

It was then she heard it.

The blast of a shotgun.

She glanced at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Tony?"

"Her name is Maria; she was recently discharged from Norfolk Mental Hospital. I know, bad choice, DiNozzo, but she was totally hot and up for anything. To cut a long story short, she thinks I'm cheating on her with my partner – which is you, and she's come here to kill you. Well, kill _us_." Tony babbled, pacing the room.

"Oh God," Kate groaned.

Another shot was fired.

"_Come here, you Navy bitch! No one sleeps with my man and gets away with it!"_

A siren was approaching.

"You. Are. An. Idiot!" Kate screamed, walking over to him, "I can't believe you would let this happen!"

"Me? How was I to know she was psycho!"

"She was recently discharged from a mental hospital! Call yourself a detective!"

"I came here to warn you!"

"I wouldn't be in this mess if you didn't date so many –"

She was cut off by a pair of lips crashing down on hers. She didn't know whether it was due to fear, the adrenaline coursing through her veins, or the life and death situation they were in at that very moment, but instead of pushing him away, she found herself kissing him back with equal ferocity.

She wrapped her leg around his waist.

They didn't hear the SWAT team making their way to her fifth floor apartment.

He grabbed her thighs, lifting her off the ground, mouth never leaving hers.

They didn't hear 'crazy Maria' shoot a hole through Kate's TV.

She wove her fingers through his hair as he bit down on her neck.

They didn't hear the SWAT team take out 'crazy Maria'.

He pushed her hard against the wall, planting hot kisses down her neck and onto the strip of cleavage peeking over the top of her tank top.

They didn't hear the police enter the bedroom.

"Miss? Are you alright, Miss?"

The two Agents broke apart. Five police officers stood in the doorway.

Kate slapped Tony across the face, who instantly put her down and stepped to the other side of the room.

"The shooter has been apprehending," The lead officer stated, "we'll give you a moment, and then we'll have to take your statements."

The two Agents nodded.

Once the officers had left the room, Tony opened his mouth.

"Shut up!"

"I didn't –"

"What happened…it didn't happen!"

"Well it –"

"Shut up!" Kate shrieked, rubbing her head, "This is all your fault, DiNozzo!"

"Takes two to tango, Katie."

"Argh!" Kate stormed out of the room

"I saved your life!"

_Let him know that you know best _

Cause after all you do know best...

* * *

It had been a hard day, the third time he saved her. 

They were working a tough case; a serial killer, preying on female Marines. It didn't help that they had Fornell and the FBI breathing down their necks.

Kate had stepped out for lunch and Tony, who was being particularly irritating that week, decided to follow her.

"What do you want, DiNozzo?"

Neither of the two Agents spoke about the previous two incidents.

They didn't know how to address the first and Kate had forbid him from bringing up the latter.

Ever.

"Just thought we could get lunch together."

"Hmm, don't think that's going to happen, Tony," Kat brushed him off.

She turned to look at him, his brown eyes full of worry and sadness.

And hope.

"Fine." She conceded, face softening.

They walked down the street in companionable silence, their footsteps falling into sync with one another's.

They waited for the light to change.

She could feel him staring at her.

"What?" She glanced at him.

"Nothing." He turned away.

"No, why were you staring at me?" Kate demanded.

"You just…" Tony blushed uncharacteristically, "you look really beautiful today."

"Oh." Kate answered, surprised, "Um, thanks."

He flashed her his trademark DiNozzo grin, just as the light changed colour. She playfully rolled her eyes and stepped out onto the street.

She didn't see the speeding car coming straight for her.

Tony, however, did, pulling her out of the way just in time and into his safe embrace.

She was shaking.

"Not again," Kate muttered, gripping his jacket.

Not knowing what to say that would offer any comfort, he gently stroked her hair.

"Everything happens in threes," he whispered, tightening his hold around her.

"I can't do this."

A sob escaped her throat and she was shaking harder. Her sobs grew louder and he could soon feel her tears through his suit jacket.

In the middle of the busy street, he held her.

She clung to him, crying.

He wasn't letting go.

_Lay down a list of what is wrong _

_The things you've told him all along _

_And pray to God he hears you… _

* * *

The forth time, he couldn't save her.

There was no catching her, no warning her, no pulling her out of harms way.

Only a terrorist with a gun.

There was no hope for her on that rooftop. No more 'second chances'.

He'd done everything he could have done.

They had no way of knowing.

It happened so quickly.

And then she was gone.

_Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend _

_Somewhere along in the bitterness _

_And I would have stayed with you all night _

Had I known how to save a life.

* * *

_Fin._


End file.
